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Showing posts with label Cyber Attacks. Show all posts

Ransomware Group Stormous Takes Responsibility for Cyberattack on Belgian Brewery

 

Stormous, a ransomware group, has admitted to orchestrating the cyber assault on Duvel Moortgat Brewery last Wednesday. Fortunately for beer enthusiasts, the brewery has ample stock to withstand the disruption.

The ransom group announced their involvement via the dark web on March 7th, a day following the attack, listing Duvel as their latest target. Despite this, there is no indication that the Belgian brewery intends to comply with any ransom demands, the specifics of which remain undisclosed. 

Duvel Moortgat has shown resilience in the face of adversity, as their IT department detected the ransomware attack in the early hours of March 6th, prompting an immediate halt in production.

Ellen Aarts, a spokesperson, confirmed the incident, stating that production ceased upon detection of the ransomware, with uncertainty about when it could resume. However, she assured that the brewery possesses sufficient beer inventory to manage the production halt.

Located in Breendonk, Antwerp, Duvel Moortgat is renowned for its signature Duvel ale, alongside Vedett and Maredsous beers, which enjoy international popularity.

Belgian beer enthusiasts took to Reddit to jest about the situation, showcasing their typical humour. Meanwhile, it was revealed that despite the disruption, beer pumps remained operational, leading some employees (excluding IT staff) to enjoy drinks in the cafeteria—a fact perhaps lamented by the IT department.

At present, the timeline for Duvel Moortgat to resume full-scale production remains uncertain, and the perpetrators behind the cyberattack remain unidentified.

Automotive Industry Under Ransomware Attacks: Proactive Measures

Ransomware has become a highly profitable industry, with major players like Conti Ransomware and Evil Corp leading the way. Although these entities are not publicly traded and do not report earnings to regulatory bodies like the SEC, it is estimated that ransomware payments reached around $450 million in the first half of the previous year. Shockingly, cyber-attacks are so lucrative that North Korea reportedly derives 50% of its foreign currency from cyber theft, as reported by Nikkei Asia. 

In 2021, automotive companies faced the highest number of cyber-attacks within the manufacturing sector, making up approximately one-third of all attacks, as highlighted in an industrial threat research report by IBM. A prevalent tactic employed by cybercriminals involves targeting the supply chains of automotive manufacturers through vulnerabilities in third-party vendors. 

In the list of industries facing ransomware attacks, the automotive sector ranked eighth out of 35, indicating a moderate vulnerability compared to others like technology, logistics, and transportation. It is less susceptible than some industries but more so than municipal and legal services. A 2021 Gartner report revealed that 71% of automotive Chief Information Officers (CIOs) planned to increase efforts in cybersecurity and information security that year compared to 2020. 

Cybersecurity experts note that the automotive industry's enthusiastic adoption of digitalization and automation in its operations has significantly increased productivity. However, this shift has also made organizations more susceptible to cyber-attacks due to the expanded digital footprint. 

Let’s Understand How Automobile Companies Can Protect Their System

The first step in safeguarding a car manufacturing company's systems is to understand the potential security risks and threats to their equipment. As technology advances, many companies are linking their older systems to the internet to collaborate with outside vendors. While it might take time for businesses to get used to this new security approach, there's a positive trend in increased awareness, making the industry safer. 

To protect against large-scale ransomware attacks, the automotive sector needs to take a proactive stance in detecting and addressing risks in their manufacturing environment. This shift towards a more proactive security strategy is crucial for preventing potential cyber threats and ensuring the safety of the organization's systems.

Finland MP’s Faces Dire Cyber Intrusion

 

The parliament of Finland verified on Monday that some hackers had procured entry into the internal IT system of Finland and have also retrieved some personal as well as confidential information by accessing into the email accounts of some of the Member of the Parliament (MPs).

In a statement the government officials confirmed that the incident took place in the autumn season of 2020 and was turned up in the month of December by the IT staff of the Parliament after they felt that something suspicious is happening. This occurrence is being investigated under the examination of the Finnish Central Criminal Police (KRP) .

Although the Crime Commissioner Tero Muurman in an official statement said that “The act is not accidental”, on the other hand the police in investigation are not unveiling any detail about the case. Instead they quoted that they are investigating the security breach as a “suspected gross hacking and espionage” incident. Though after flicking through all the recorded statement one thing is clear that the intrusion did no harm to the internal IT System of the Parliament.

 “At this stage , one alternative is that unknown factors have been able to obtain Information through the hacking, either for the benefit of a foreign state or to harm Finland” , Muurman further added. The larceny of the hackers has affected a lot of individuals of the country though obviously the number is unsure. 

The thing that requires the maximal gravity here is that, during the same time, in the fall, some Russian hackers have also accessed the emails of various Parliamentary personnel and representative of Norway to acquire some information. Both the hacks were quite indistinguishable in nature and can be thought to be linked as well. 

The officials in command stated, “This case is exceptional in Finland serious due to the quality of the target and unfortunate for the victims”. Proffering a sense of placidity to the victims the KRP Tero Muurman also made a statement claiming that “International cooperation has taken place in the investigation” and the drudges would be behind the bars for the felony.